I am a victim of
the rulers who enslaved
my grandfather(s)
of a system that ranks their language
superior to mine
I shall scream to deliver
the anger in my voice
but it will get translated
before leaving the
borders –
I had not carved
myself.

# # #

Fatima Siraj is a Liberal Arts Student based in Pakistan. Poems named “The Shop Next Door” and “Crux of the Situation” are due to be published by The Bluffton University Literary Journal, “Place of Birth” and “My Language and I” will be published by The Wax Paper in their upcoming issues this year. The piece titled “Motherland” will be appearing in The Foliate Oak Literary Magazine in the first week of March.

Fatima also conducts Poetry Workshops at schools to encourage and inspire young students to approach the literary world.

Photo: Farooq Hussain Shah